Venous catheter and needle



y 14, 1968 M. RUBIN 3,382,872

VENOUS CATHETER AND NEEDLE Filed June 7, 1965 INVENTOR Me/w'n Lawrence Rub/n BY wwj- M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,382,872 VENOUS CATHETER AND NEEDLE Melvin L. Rubin, Baltimore, Md. (Fort Howard Veterans Hospital, Fort Howard, Md. 21052) Filed June 7, 1965, Ser. No. 461,740 Claims. (Cl. 128--214.4)-

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hypodermic needle is constructed from a hollow needle which can contain a catheter tube, with the needle being longitudinally splittable into two sections each having a handle for gripping to longitudinally split the needle enabling it to be removed from an implanted catheter tube. A plastic sac is provided enveloping the catheter tube to maintain it sterile and having one end cemented to the handles of the needle sections, with the sac being longitudinally splittable along lines extending from the junction of the needle sections so as to split when the needle is split.

This invention relates generally to surgical instruments, and more particularly it pertains to an interavenous catheter and needle. A

Catheters have been standard equipment in medicine for many years as are the needles used for puncturing the vein and introducing the catheter.

It is an object of this invention to provide a puncturing and catheter introducing needle which may be withdrawn over and completely removed from about the catheter so as to avoid subsequent damage to same and to provide a more comfortable and safe vein tap to the patient.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tubular hypodermic needle which is easily made from sheet metal and includes integral handle means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a split needle type of catheter which is maintained completely sterile to the moment of use.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a catheter arrangement incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the catheter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the needle taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of a second embodiment of the needle;

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the method of application of the improved catheter of the invention.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally an intravenous catheter arrangement incorporating features of this inevntion.

The catheter arrangement 10 is a self-contained sterile assembly including a hollow needle 12 of hypodermic type having a clear passage 14 extending therethrough. This needle 12 is made up from metal tubing which has been split longitudinally so as to form two U-shaped halves 16 and 18 or the halves may be made from rolled sheet metal in separate operations.

The halves 16 and 18 in either case are identical and have flanged or rolled-back portions 20 defining small handles. The halves 16 and 18 may optionally be joined together at their edges to form the tubular needle 12 by gluing with an epoxy, soft soldering, or they may be de- 3,382,872 Patented May 14, 1968 fined by a pair of opposed longitudinally frangible lines extending from one end to the other where the fabrication is from tubular stock.

In either case a sharpened point 22 is made on the end of the needle 12 remote from the handles 20 whereby the flesh of a patient may be punctured and the needle 12 introduced into a blood vessel.

An elongated flexible catheter tube 24 is loosely positioned in the hollow needle 12 and extends externally for several inches from the handles 20. The remote end of the catheter 24 is provided with a Luer-type standard adapter 26 for intravenous tubing and a temporary rubber stopper 28 inserted therein. The catheter 24 is positioned in the needle 12 and maintained sterile by means of a temporary pliable plastic sac 30 extending thereover and cemented to the handles 20 at one end and to the adapter 26 at the other. A removable temporary rubber cover 32 similarly protects the needle 12.

A pair of diametrically opposed tear strips 34 are arranged along the length of the plastic sac 30 each extending from the junction lines of the needle halves.

The novel catheter 10 is prepared for use by first removing the stopper 28 and connecting the usual intravenous bottle hOse at the adapter 26. Next the rubber cover 32 is removed and the needle inserted in a blood vessel.

The needle 12 is then withdrawn from the skin leaving the catheter in the vessel. Then, as shown in the drawings, the needle is grasped by the handles 20 and pulled apart to separate the halves 16 and 18 along their junctions and continued tension splits the plastic sac 30 along its tear strips 34 all the way to the adapter 26. The needle halves 16 and 18 together with the sac 30 are removed and discarded. The catheter 24, free of the needle 12 and sac 30, may now be taped to the patients skin.

In some sizes of needles it may be of advantage for greater strength to form or secure a clasp 36 on one half 38 of a modified needle 40 embracing the other half 18 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This will assure greater temporary adherence to the other half 18 especially during much handling and shipping.

A catheter 10 made and used according to the teachings herein is safe and comfortable to the patient.

There is no danger that the catheter will be cut by movement of the patient because the needle is entirely removed. Because the Luer-type end is exposed from the sac 30, the rubber stopper can be removed and the assembly rinsed out with fiuid if a puncture attempt is first unsuccessful, without any breakdown in sterility. Furthermore because the remote end of the catheter 24 is accessible (from without the sac 30) at the stopper 28, it is easy to thread it into a vein through the bore of the needle 12 using the stopper as a handle.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A needle structure having a longitudinal passage therethrough, tube means positioned along said passage, said needle structure being longitudinally splittable into two sections for defining an opening the length of said needle structure for withdrawal from said tube means by way of said opening, handle means secured to each of said sections for gripping to obtain the longitudinal splitting of said needle structure, sac means enveloping said tube means rearwardly of said needle structure for keeping said tube means sterile, said sac means being cemented to each said handlemeans and being longitudinally splittable along a pair of lines extending from the junction of said two sections of said needle structure so as to be structure consists of a pair of longitudinal portions glued split when said needle structure is split. together.

2. The needle structure of claim 1 wherein said handle References Cited means consists of rolled over portions of said two sections.

3. The needle structure of claim 1 as a hypodermic 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS needle. 3,297,030 1/1967 Czorny et a1. l28214.4

4. The needle structure of claim 1 wherein said needle 3,314,427 4/1967 St ff d 128 214 4 structure is frangible along a pair of oppositely spaced 3,330,273 7/1967 s i i 128 214 4 longitudinal lines.

5. The needle structure of claim 1 wherein said needle 10 DALTON L. TRULUCK, Primary Examiner. 

